The financial literacy bill changed back to include all high schoolers, public and nonpublic alike
- By Xain Ballenger
A popular bipartisan financial literacy bill that was drastically changed last week was changed back on Tuesday in the Indiana House of Representatives.
Senate Bill 35 would require Indiana high-school students to study financial literacy and was authored by Sen. Mike Gaskill, R-Pendleton, Sen. Jeff Raatz, R-Centerville, and Sen. Linda Rogers, R-Granger.
Rep. Bob Behning, R-Indianapolis, made a somewhat controversial amendment to the bill in the House Education Committee on March 29 that removed the requirement for state-accredited nonpublic schools. In that meeting, testimony came after the amendment was adopted. Representatives from the Indiana Association of School Principals, the Indiana Credit Union League, the Indiana Association for Community Economic Development, the Indiana Bankers Association, the Indiana Small and Rural Schools Association, and others indicated they supported the bill with the amendment but preferred it without.
On Tuesday in the House Chamber, the bill was changed back as Rep. Julie McGuire, R-Indianapolis, offered an amendment to put accredited and nonpublic schools back into the bill. It was adopted unanimously.
Rep. Joanna King, R-Middlebury, a sponsor of the bill, spoke in support of making the switch.
“I think this gets the bill to a better place,†she said.
The bill was placed into third reading, where it will be voted on again to determine whether it will make its way to Gov. Eric Holcomb’s desk.